Circuit-operating device.



PATENTBD OCT. 25,1903

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1L K0 MODEL.

'FIGJ- InuEnhuR: 4,434 iK Uliflnesses: 3353M. 6-339 I u: av "um mu -I uma.

PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

G. F. HOPEWELL.

CIRCUIT OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

FIRE.

InuEnuuR witness-E5 UNITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CIRCUIT-OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,323, dated October 25, 1904.

Application filed August 17,1904. Serial No. 221,013. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. HOPEWELL, of Cambridge, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Circuit-Operating Devices, of which the following description. in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to construct a differential circuit-operating device especially adapted for trolley-signals which may be operated by a passing car to set and extinguish the signals, the signals being set when the car passes. along in one direction and extinguished when the car passes along in the opposite direction, and the circuit-0perating device is especially designed to be operated by the car running at high speed.

My improved circuit-operating device may be employed in conjunction with any trolley signal system or apparatus taking current from the trolley-wire either in whole or in part.

My invention comprehends, essentially, a conductoras, for instance, a trolley-wire having two insulated sections adapted to be engaged by a traveling contact device of a moving vehicleas, for instance, by a passing trolley, two solenoids, the circuits of which are connected, respectively, with said insulated sections of trolley-wire and with the main trolley-wire, two circuits adapted to be controlled or operated, and circuit-closing de-' vices for said circuits adapted to be operated by the successive action of the two solenoids. hen the car proceeds in one direction, both solenoids will be operated and one of the circuits will be operated, and when the car proceeds in the opposite direction both solenoids will also be operated and the other circuit will be operated, the selection of which circuit is to be operated by the successive action of the two solenoids depending upon which solenoid of the pair is first operated.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a circuitoperating device embodying my invention, the parts being in their normal position of rest. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the parts in the position they will occupy when the trolley passes onto the first insulated section of trolley-wire going in one direction. is a'similar detail showing the parts in the position they will occupy when the trolley passes onto the second insulated section of trolley-Wire proceeding in the same direction as in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar detail showing the parts in the position they will occupy when the trolley passes onto the first insu-- lated section of trolley-wire going in the opposite direction, and Fig. 5 is a similar detail showing the parts in the position they will occupy when the trolley passes onto the second insulated section of trolley-wire going in the same direction as in Fig. 4:.

(0 represents the main trolley-wire, and Z) and 0 two insulated sections of trolley-wire which a wire 0' leads through the usual motor to the ground.

Two like solenoids f and g are employed which are supported by any suitable framework ]z. The armature f of the solenoid f is loosely connected at its lower end to one end of a cross-bar i and has at its upper end a headed pin f which limits the downward or retractile movement of the armature by striking upon the upper end of the solenoid. The armatureg of the solenoid g is loosely connected at its lower end to the opposite end of said cross-bar 2' and has at its upper end a headed pin which limits the downward or retractile movement of the armature by striking upon the upper end of the solenoid g. The two armatures f 9 being thus supported by the headed pins, the cross-bar will be held by them in horizontal position.

A circuit-closing lever j is secured to thecross-bar 2', which is set into and passes through a block 3" of insulating material in said crossbar, said arm or lever being thereby insulated from the cross-bar. The circuit-closing lever jextends upward and is designed to engage one or the other contact-platem or 72 both of which are located above its upper end and which are secured to the framework. The contact-plate mis connected with the light- Fig. 3

ing or setting circuit 0, and the contact-plate 9/ is connected with the eXtinguishing-circuit 7). These two circuits, while herein referred to the lighting and extinguishing circuits, may be employed for any other purposes and so far as this invention is concerned may be considered as two circuits controlled or operated by the circuit-closing devices.

A wire 2 leads from the main trolley-wire to a plate t, and a wire 3 leads from said plate to the solenoid f, and a wires leads from said solenoid to the insulated section 7). Thus the circuit 2 3 4c of the solenoid f is connected at one end with the main trolley-wire and at the other end with the insulated section 6. A Wire 5 leads from said plate 6 to the solenoid g, and a wire 6 leads from said solenoid to the insulated section 0. Thus the circuit 2 5 6 of the solenoid is likewise connected at one end with the main trolley-wire and at the other end with the insulated section 0. Both solenoids f and y will thus be energized by a current from the trolley-wire. A wire 8 leads from the circuit-closing arm or lever 7' to the plate 1, thereby connecting it with the main trolley-wire, and whenever said arm is in engagement with one of the contact-plates m or a current from the trolley-wire will pass to the lighting or extinguishing circuit.

In operation, assuming a car to be going in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the trolley will first pass onto the insulated section 7), establishing the solenoid-circuit 2 3 4t, and the solenoid f will be energized, its armature f" attracted or drawn up, and the circuit-closing arm or lever 7' moved toward the right, as shown in Fig. 52, passing beneath but not engaging the contact-plate n. Then as the trolley-wire passes onto the second insulated section 0 the solenoid-circuit 2 5 6 will be established, and the solenoid 7 will attract or draw up its armature and move the circuitclosing lever 7' in the opposite direction; but in practice the solenoid y will be energized and its armature attracted before the armaturef" of the solenoid fis retracted. Hence as the circuit-closing lever f is moved by the solenoid g/ it will be brought into engagement with the contact-plate w, as represented in Fig. 3, thereby closing the lighting or sig nal-setting circuit 1. As the trolley passes ofl the insulated section 0 onto the main trolley-wire It, the circuits of both solenoids being opened, the parts will resume their normal positions of rest. Assuming that the car is proceeding in the opposite direction, the trolley will first engage the insulated section 0, and consequently will first operate the solenoid 9, moving the circuit-closing lever j toward the left, as shown in Fig. 4, and then as the trolley passes onto the second insulated sectionZ) the solenoidf will be energized and the circuit-closing lever moved into engagement with the contactplate m, thereby clos ing the extinguishing-oircuit 0. It will be iiinderstood that as the car proceeds along the signal-section, including both insulated sections 7) and c, the car-controller will remain closed.

The insulated sections 7) and 0 will be made of any suitable length and ample time allowed for the operation of the solenoids even with the car running at a very high speed.

It will be understood that my invention may be applied to a third-rail system, if desired, the third rail having insulated sections and serving as the equivalent of the trolley-wire.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a circuit-operating device, a conductor having two insulated sections adapted to be engaged by the traveling contact device of a moving vehicle, two solenoids, circuits for said solenoids connected respectively with said insulated section and with the main trolley-wire and a circuit-closing device operated by the successive action of said solenoids, substantially as described.

2. In a circuitoperating device, a conductor having two insulated sections adapted to be engaged by the traveling contract device of a moving vehicle, two solenoids, circuits for said solenoids connected respectively with said insulated sections and with the main trolley-wire, a stationary contact-plate, a movable circuit-closing lever connected with the armatures of both solenoids, adapted to be moved first by one solenoid into position to engage the contact plate and then by the other solenoid into engagement with said contact-plate, substantially as described.

3. In a circuit-operating device, a conductor having two insulated sections adapted to be engaged by the traveling contact device of a moving vehicle, two solenoids, circuits for said solenoids connected respectively with said insulated sections and with the main trolley-wire, two stationary contact-plates, a movable circuit-closing lever connected with the armatures of both solenoids, adapted to be moved by the successive action of the solenoids into engagement with either contact-plate according to which solenoid is first operated, substantially as described.

4. In a circuit-operating device for trolleysignals, a conductor having two insulated sections adapted to be engaged by the traveling contact device of a moving vehicle, two solenoids, circuits for said solenoids connected respectively with said insulated sections and with the main trolley-wire, two circuits controlled by the circuit-operating device, and circuit-closing devices for said (alICuit-S adapted to be operated by the successive action of said solenoids, substantially as described.

5. In a circuit-operating device for trolleysignals, a conductor having two insulated sections adapted to be engaged by the traveling contact device of a moving vehicle, two solen- IIO oids, circuits for said solenoids connected respectively with said insulated sections and with the main trolley-Wire, two circuits controlled by the circuit-operating device, two stationary contact-plates connected respectively with said circuits, a movable circuitclosing lever connected with the armatures of both solenoids adapted to be moved by the successive action of both solenoids into engage- 10 ment witheither contact-plate according to which solenoid is first operated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. HOPEWELL.

Witnesses:

B. J. NOYES, H. B. DAVIS. 

